CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1959/05/12
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Collection:
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03155127
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U
Document Page Count:
13
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February 25, 2020
Document Release Date:
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Case Number:
Publication Date:
May 12, 1959
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULL[15787462].pdf | 524.92 KB |
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12 May 1959
Copy No. C
CENTRAL
IYTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN-
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. 1),e
, DECLASSIFIED
CLASS, CHANGED TO: T5,111%
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1.2 MAY 1959
I. THE COMMUNIST BLOC
IL ASIA-AFRICA
Saudi Arabia - New crisis developing
between King Saud and Crown Prince
Faysal.
Qatar - Leaders of last week's five-
day strike of oil workers still un-
known; further unrest likely.
Turkey - Defense minister alarmed
at government's repressive measures
against opposition.
Algerian provisional government
leaders hold important conference
in Tunis.
Burma - Libel trial of TASS rep-
resentative in Rangoon will give So-
viet prestige further setback.
I I L THE WEST
� West German officials no longer op-
pose East German role as "check-
point agents" of USSR.
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CENTRA
9(L"
INTELLIGENCE BULLET
12 May 1959
DAILY BRIEF
L THE COMMUNIST BLOC
IL ASIA-AFRICA
Qatar: h�ive-day strike last week of Qatar Oil Com-
pany workers in the British-protected Persian Gulf Sheikdom
of Qatar reflected carefully guarded preparation, in the view
of the American Consulate General in Dhahran. Local sheiks
and British political officials apparently were reluctant to use
strong measures against the strike, which ended with the gov-
ernment largely accepting the workers' demands. The author-
ities are still unable to identify the strike leaders, and further
unrest seems likelyj (Page 2)
Turkey: Rinister of Defense Etem Menderes, whose rela-
tions with the prime minister and other Democratic leaders have
become seriously strained, claims that if the present repres-
sive tendencies of the Democratic regime continue, military
leaders will intervene and a dictatorship will result,. Menderes
views are probably colored by his own political ambitions. There
is, however,
stringent measures the government has taken and is planning
to take against the oppositionj (Page 3)
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Algeria: Leaders of the Algerian provisional government
met in Tunis on 8 May for a conference
Among the topics probably discussed were low morale and short-
ages of materiel within the National Liberation Army (ALN), as
well as Tunisian moves to restrict rebel activities in Tunisia.
rA provisional government official has
alleged that Premier Abbas hopes to convince his ministers of
the advisability of negotiations with the French but fears that
rebel extremists would elect to continue the military struggle-0]
(Page 4)
' Burma-USki: Soviet prestige in Burma, damaged by the
recent furor over an attempt by the Soviet military attach�o
defect, faces another setback in the upcoming libel trial of a
TASS representative in Rangoon. The suit, filed by_ an influen-
tial Burmese editor, is receiving wide publicity. /The Soviet
Embassy, which thus far has shielded the TASS representative
has attempted to quash the cased (Page 5)
III. THE WEST
West Germany:[West German and West Berlin political
leaders have given up heir previous opposition to the accept-
ance of the East Germans as Soviet "agents" in operating check-
points on the routes to Berlin. They are more firmly opposed
than ever, however, to any change in West Berlin's status or
in the four-nower responsibility for the entire citv.
si such a transfer of "authority" as a satisfactory solution in return
for firm guarantees on continued free access for Allied as well
as West German traffic. Brandt and Bonn authorities oppose any
UN role in Berlin other than the monitoring of East-West agree-
ments-4 (SECRET NOFORN) (Page 6)
12 May 59
DAILY BRIEF ii
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In THE COMMUNIST BLOC
(No Back-up Material)
II. ASIA-AFRICA
Government Crisis in Saudi Arabia
f�
Crown Prince Faysal is reported to have submitted Ms
resignation as prime minister as a result of arowina frustra-
tion and friction with King Saud,
The specific cause of the
current crisis is not clear, but it is believed to have grown
out of Faysal's refusal to permit the 18-20 million dollar per-
sonal debts of the King to be paid out of government funds.]
1:Faysal became chief executive officer largely as a conse-
quence of the fiscal chaos resulting from the King's irrespon-
sible extravagance with the nation's revenues. Since late last
fall, Saud has been working against his brother's fiscal reforms,
with the intention of discrediting Faysal and recovering full
executive powers from him%)
(Although aware of the King's intrigues, Faysal has not been
in robust health and would be unlikely to challenge the King
without the firm backing of the senior princes. While the princes
were instrumental in Faysal's elevation to power last year, his
efforts to curb extravagance by the royal family may by now
have cost him their support.]
li)irector General of Petroleum Affairs Abdullah Tar iki com-
mented to Ambassador Heath that Faysal is the only competent
member of the royal family, and that his departure from gov-
ernment would undo the gains made in the last year and hasten
the eclipse of the monarch39
SECRET
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Qatar Oil Workers Strike
A five-day strike last week by workers of the Qatar Petro-
leum Company (QPC), an affiliate of Iraq Petroleum Company,
demonstrated careful preparation, in the view of the American
Consulate General in Dhahran. British and local government
officials in this small British-protected state on the Persian
Gulf are concerned over the effectiveness of the strike organ-
ization which immobilized almost the entire sheikdom. Thus
far the government and QPC have been unable to identify strike
leaders.
About half the QPC workers are Qataris; most of the rest
are Indians and Pakistanis. In the early stages of the strike
only the Qataris participated, but they soon forced the Indian
and Pakistani workers to join. By late in the week the strike
had spread to government offices.
Support for the strike apparently stems from widespread
dissatisfaction with the extravagances of the ruling family, al-
though Arab resentment of the superior pay and status granted
more highly skilled Indian and Pakistani workers was probably
also a factor. The workers formulated specific demands only
when the government began to react.
The strikers have returned to work, but the issue is not yet
settled. Sheik Ahmad, son of the Ruler, publicly has given in to
most of the strikers' demands, but the QPC is unwilling to settle
on this basis. Qatar itself is relatively unimportant in Middle
East oil production, but the example could be contagious.
CONFIDFNTIAL
12 May 59
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Turkish Defense Minister Fears Further Repression of Opposition
Turkish Defense Minister Etem Menderes--no relative of
Prime Minister Adnan Menderes--considers that the prime min-
ister is falling more under the influence of government leaders
who favor stronger repressive measures against the Republican
People's party (RPP), the principal opposition party. The de-
fense minister, who is highly respected by the armed Services,
fears army intervention if
more extensive restrictions are put on the freedoms of press
and opposition. the only hope for
the ruling Democratic party (DP) is to make radical changes in
top-level government personnel and to adopt more liberal policies.
Etem Menderest views are favored by a large number of
the party's legislators who have shown their dissatisfaction par-
ticularly with the prime minister's restrictions on the press.
A DP caucus, however, reportedly has decided to tighten
restrictions on the press. Among other restrictions, only news-
papermen working for the progovernment news service would be
permitted to accompany political figures around the country.
Early this month the government used army and police in
an unsuccessful attempt to prevent opposition leader Ismet Inonu's
followers from gathering to greet him during his tour of the Aegean
region. Inonu, whose popularity has increased as a result of the
incidents, says he will continue to travel around the country, thus
intensifying the pressure on the government to take further repres-
sive measures against him.
ET
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Algerian Rebels Confer in Tunis
The meeting in Tunis of Algerian rebel military command-
ers with Premier Ferhat Abbas and other top provisional gov-
ernment leaders, which began on 8 May, probably has as its
main topic the deteriorating rebel military position in Algeria.
NI official of the rebel-sponsored labor union conceded on
6 May that the military situation in Algeria is "very unfavor-
able" to the rebel army.] A second topic of concern to the
provisional government is the state of its relations with Tu-
nisia.
Premier Abbas has long favored a negotiated settlement of
the Algerian problem, and rebel spokesmen have dropped their
earlier insistence that any negotiations be preceded by France's
explicit recognition of Algeria's right to independence. It is
possible that recent rebel military setbacks will lead to discus-
sion by the rebel leaders of possible terms for a settlement with
the French. There are, however, no indications that President
de Gaulle is prepared at present to discuss anything more than
a cease-fire, and rebel extremists may be less ready than
Abbas to consider negotiations.
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Soviet Prestige in Burma May Be Further Damaged by Libel
Suit
Soviet prestige in Burma, damaged by the furor
over the Soviet military attach� recent attempt to defect,
faces another setback in the coming libel trial of a TASS
representative in Rangoon. The suit was filed by U Law
Yone, the editor of the influential Rangoon Nation, who had
been accused by the TASS representative of receiving $34,-
000 from the American Embassy.
After the TASS representative failed to appear in court
on 8 May, a second warrant was issued,Gyen though Soviet
Ambassador Shiborin had intervened with the Burmese for-
eign minister in an effort to have the case quashed9 The
police have been unable to locate the defendant td-serve
either warrant, which will almost certainly lead the Burmese
public to presume that he is hiding in the Soviet Embassy.
Whatever course the embassy takes, it seems certain
to suffer further embarrassment. Flight from Burma by the
TASS representative, who has no diplomatic status, would in-
vite strong censure� shouldJeJactriaLh&1ikely to be
convicted.
SEC
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III. THE WEST
West German and West Berlin Leaders' Views on Status
Cf Berlin
est German and West Berlin political leaders
have given up their previous opposition to the acceptance
of the East Germans as Soviet "agents" in operating check-
points on the routes to Berlin. They are more fir:nly opposed
than ever, however, to any change in West Berlin's status or IL
the four-power responsibility for the entire city.'
est Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt,
indicated he would accept Soviet 'turnover to
ast Germany of control over access to Berlin, provided both
Moscow and East Germany gave firm commitments on con-
tinued free access for Allied as well as West German civilian
traffic. Both Brandt and Bonn government authorities are op-
posed to involving the UN in West Berlin beyond permitting
it to monitor an East-West agreement on access.]
/here are indications that Brandt may have become more
willing to consider disengagement schemes. Chancellor Ade-
nauer and other top Bonn officials remain critical, however,
and fear the British will use the first opportunity in Geneva to
present a plan for thinning out forces, despite the agreement
to avoid discussing separate elements of the "package. 'J
lAdenauer informed top officials in his party as early as
mid-March that Bonn would agree to some de facto recognition
of East Germany in return for a guarantee of the status quo in
Berlin. In subsequent conversations with Western officials,
both Adenauer and Foreign Minister Brentano have stressed that
the Geneva conference should focus on the Berlin question rather
than on the broad problems of unification and European securitv.)
12 May 59
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THE PRESIDENT
The Vice President
Executive Offices of the White House
Special Assistant for National Security Affairs
Scientific Adviser to the President
Director of the Budget
Office of Defense and Civilian Mobilization
Special Assistant for Security Operations Coordination
Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence Activities
Special Assistant for Foreign Economic Policy
Executive Secretary, National Security Council
The Treasury Department
The Secretary of the Treasury
The Department of State
The Secretary of State
The Under Secretary of State
The Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs
The Deputy Under Secretary for Political Affairs
The Deputy Under Secretary for Administration
The Counselor
Director, International Cooperation Administration
The Director of Intelligence and Research
The Department of Defense
The Secretary of Defense
The Deputy Secretary of Defense
Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
The Secretary of the Army
The Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Air Force
The Chairman, The Joint Chiefs of Staff
Commandant, United States Marine Corps
The Director, The Joint Staff
Chief of Staff, United States Army
Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy
Chief of Staff, United States Air Force
Assistant to Secretary of Defense for Special Operations
Director for Intelligence, The Joint Staff
Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Department of the Army
Director of Naval Intelligence, Department of the Navy
Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Air Force
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe
Commander in Chief, Pacific
The Department of the Interior
The Secretary of the Interior
The Department of Commerce
The Secretary of Commerce
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Director
Atomic Energy Commission
The Chairman
National Security Agency
The Director
National Indications Center
The Director
United States Information Agency
The Director
CONE9Nfi
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